Gas or gasolene engine



" 625W)- Patented May "5,1899. M'AHON. GAS 0B GASOLEN'E ENGINE. (Application filed Jan. 21, 1599.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. s25,|a0. Patented May l6, I899.

A. MAHON.

GAS 0R GASOL ENE ENGINE.

' (Application filed Jan. 21, 1899.)

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Witnesses: Inventor THE NORRIS PETERS cuv Ppm'aurua, WASHINGTON, n c

A. MAHON.

GAS 0R GASULENE ENGINE.

(Application filegijzm. 21, 1899.)

' aWhumm i H I H KE N J Patented May I6, I899.

No. 62 5,l80. Patented May l6, I89 9. A. MAHDN.

GAS 0B GASOLENE ENGINE.

(Application filed Jan. 21, 1899.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

&

No. 625,!80. Pafented May 16, I899.

A. MAHDN.

GAS' 0R GASOLENE ENGINE.

(Application filed Jan. 21, 1899.) I (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet a6.

Witnesses:

Inventor wqmmms PETERS co PHOYD-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, n. c.

" NITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MAI-ION, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS- SIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC GAS AND GASOLINE ENGINE COM- PANY, OF VIRGINIA.

oAs .OR eA soLEN E ENGIN E.

s' PEoIFIcAnoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,180, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed January 21, 1899. Serial No. 702 ,986. (No model.)

citizen of the United States, and'a resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas or Gasolene Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class. of engines in which the power is derived from the explosive force of a gas, and has for its object, first, to cause the exploded and non-exploded gases to flow from the cylinder through diiferent channels or passage-ways, whereby to prevent the mixing of the same after leaving the cylinder, and, secondly, to care for the non-exploded mixture or gases emitted from the cylinder in such manner as to prevent danger therefrom; and the invention consists, first, in the combination, in an explosive-engine, of a cylinder and piston and mechanism adapted to be actuated by the explosive force independent of the piston and its actuated mechanism to control the flow of the gases of the engine.

It further consists in the combination of a cylinder, a piston,an outlet for exploded gases, which is adapted to be opened in the normal working of the engine and which is kept closed when a charge fails to explode, with means for removing the unexploded charges from the cylinder.

It further consists in certain other novel features, all as hereinafter described.

One manner of carrying out the invention and that which in practice has been found most desirable is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the engine. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the base and the lower part of the cylinder and water-jacket, showing the inlet-valve, also the plunger, in full lines. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the same. Fig.

4: is a perspective View of one of the uprights or standards, showing the mechanism for actuatin g the valves for the outlets from the cylinder with the mechanism which engages said valves. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the mechanism which actnates the valves. Fig. 6 is a face View of the upper end of the arm which carries the valve-operatin g mechanism.

to an ordinary form of upright engine mounted upon a suitable base A. Standards 18 B are mounted on the base and may either be secured thereto by means of bolts or may be formed integral'with the base, as shall be found most desirable. Between the standards is mounted the cylinder 0, surrounded by a suitable water-jacket D.

A crank-shaft E is mounted in bearings formed in the upper end of the standards, and the piston is connected thereto through a suitable pitman or connecting-rod G. Mounted and rigidly secured to the crank-shaft adjacent to one of the standards is a gear-wheel H, and mounted on a stub-axle projecting from the standard is a gear-wheel H, having double the number of teeth and which meshes with said gear H. Secured to the gear H is a disk I, having a cam 'i projecting from its peripheral face, and the disk at one side of the cam is provided with a notch or depression t", hereinafter referred to. An arm or Fig. 8 is a similar view wherein the lever K is connected to the standard by bolts I K, passing through elongated openings to permit the reciprocation of the arm. 7 The upper end of the arm is provided with an elongated opening K through which the shaft passes, and projecting from the upper end of the arm is a friction-roller K with which the cam-disk engages. The arm orlever extends down below the end of the cylinder-head and is provided with an extension K at right angles thereto, which extends across the face of said head with its forward end engaged by and moving in guideways K.

In the present instance the cylinder-head is shown provided with three valved openings L L L one, L, being for the admission of the exploding mixture, and two outlet-openings, hereinafter referred to. A piston L is also mounted in the head, having a rod or stem 6 extending out through the head, the upward movement of the piston being limited by means of a collar Z, surrounding the rod or stem Z, and being returned to its normal position by means of springs Z as shown in Fig. 9.

Pipes M M, one, M, connecting with the gas or gasolene supply and the other, M, with the air, are connected with a chamber surrounding the valved opening L, and the pipes are provided with suitable regulating-cocks m m, and the pipe M is further provided with a suitable check-valve m Pipes N N are connected to the head to communicate with the valved openings L L one of said pipes, N, leading to or communicating with a suitable muffler-box N while the other, N", communicates either with a suitble condenser N or with the supply or with any other suitable receptacle.

Secured to the extension K of the arm K are guideways 7c, and mounted in said guides and straddling the bar is a plate 0, having the portion which rests upon the upper face of the bar made in bifurcated form or having a short and long arm 0' with lugs or projections O O on the ends thereof and so arranged that when said plate is in its normal position the lug 0 will be under the valve of the opening L and will act to raise said valve as the arm K is reciprocated, while-the other, 0 is back of the valve L, but in position to be brought under the same in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter explained. The lower portion of the plate rests in the guideways 7:; and is provided at its forward end with an opening P, adapted to be engaged by the stem Zof the piston L the lower end of which stem is made beveling or inclining inward or has an incline plate attached thereto. A standard R, with its face on an incline paral lel with the end of the stem, is secured to the frame in front of the plate and about midway of its width and with which standard the forward end of the plate engages in the downward reciprocation of the arm K.

The igniting mechanism may be of any usual or preferred construction, one electrode of which is shown passing through a suitable insulation near the base of the cylinder, the other electrode being carried by the piston. (Not shown.)

An oil-cup Sis shown for oiling the plunger.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When the machine is in position of rest, the lug 0 will be under the valve of the opening L the exploding mixture being drawn in and then compressed and the crank is passing the dead-center the two electrodes will break contact, making a spark to ignite the charge. Should the charge fail to explode for any reason, the arm K in its reciprocatthe cylinder.

ing movement will cause lug 0 which has maintained its aforesaid position, to engage the stem of the valve of the opening L and cause the non-exploded gas to flow through the piping either to the condenser or back to Should the failure to explode be due to a defect in the quality of the charge that is to say, a defect due to the presence of too much or too little vapor or air-* the charge in returning to the cylinder will receive new increments of vapor or air, as the case may be, and thus be revivified. Should the gas explode, it will act on the plunger, forcing it down into engagement with the plate and by the action of the incline face on the stem force it forward, bringing the lug 0 under the valve of the opening L and cause the intermittently-moving arm K to actuate said valve instead of the one controlling the opening L causing the exploded gases to pass to the muffler-box or other convenient outlet, the plate being each time retracted or returned to its normal position by the engagement of the plate with the inclined standard R, always leaving the plate in position to actuate the valve controlling vthe opening leading to the condenser or supply-pipe. The disk and cam which control the movement of the arm in the present instance make one revolution for two of the driving-crank, movement being only imparted to the arm when the cam on the disk engages the friction-roller, which is during the downward movement of the piston to discharge the exploded or non-exploded gases, the construction of the disk being such that the bar will be held always directly to engage either of the valves immediately upon the cam coming-into position to engage the friction-roller, the first action of whichwill be to immediately open and hold open the valve with which it is caused to engage until the gases have been excluded and then permit the roller to ride down into the depression 2", permitting the arm to drop sufficiently to bring the plate into engagement with the inclined standard R and force the plate back into its normal position, when the roller will be engaged by the raised face of the disk and the plate raised and held in proper position to again immediately engage either of the valves, as before described.

Various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or intent of my invention so long as the same acts either to prevent unexploded charges from passing to the muffler-box or out into the air.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that as no non-exploded gas can pass out either to the muffler-box or open air all danger heretofore experienced is avoided and the engine can be used with perfect safety.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a cylinder and piston, and mechanism com- IIC prising a valve adapted to be actuated by the explosive force independent of the piston and its actuated mechanism to control the flow of the gas of the engine.

2. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston, an outlet for exploded gases which is adapted to be opened in the normal working of the engine and which is kept closed when a charge fails to explode,

and means for removing the unexploded.

charges from the cylinder. a

8. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a cylinder, a piston, means for intermittently opening the cylinder for and closing the same against the outflow of an unexploded charge, and an outlet for exploded gases controlled by a valve that is adapted to be actuated by an explosion. v

4. In an explosive-engine, a cylinder and piston, a valve mechanism adapted to normally provide for the care of non-exploded gases, and an auxiliary mechanism independ= ent of the piston and actuated by and de pendent upon the explosive force resultant from each explosion to set the mechanism to care for the exploded gases.

5. The combination with the cylinder of an explosive-engine, of a feed-pipe therefor,

means for eliminating an unexploded charge from the cylinder, and means forrevivifying said charge and returning it to the cylinder.

6. The combination with the cylinder of an explosive-engine, of a feed-pipe therefor, means for eliminating an unexploded charge 7. The combination,in an explosive-engine,

a cylinder, valved outlet-openings, an arm or bar, actuated in the movements of the engine, a movable element adapted to normally engage one of the valves, a plunger adapted to be actuated by the explosive force of the charge to throw said movable element into position to actuate the other valve, substantially as described.

8. The combination,in an explosive-engine, a cylinder, valved outlet-openings, an arm or bar actuated during the movements of the engine, a movable element adapted to nor mally engage one of the valves, a plunger adapted to be actuated by the explosive force of the charge to throw movable element into position to actuate the other valve, and means to automatically reset the movable element, substantially as described.

9. Thecombination,in anexplosive eugine, valved outlet-openings, pipes communicating therewith, one communicating with a mufflerbox and the other witha condenser, and mechanism for causing the non-exploded gases to pass to the condenser and the exploded gases to the muffler-box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALEXANDER MAHON. Witnesses:

I L. JOHNSON,

JOHN H. HAsvvELL. 

